The illustrative embodiments disclosed in the present application are useful in systems including those for tracking and tracing shipments and mailings workflow and more particularly are useful in systems including those for tracking checks through the mail and banking systems.
Certain shipping companies provide detailed track and trace information to shipping customers. Additionally, some mailers track where their mailings are within the postal mailstream using the United States Postal Service (USPS) CONFIRM® system. The CONFIRM system provides some tracking information to mailers on both their outgoing mailings and incoming replies using PLANET (Postal Alpha Numeric Encoding Technique) Code technology. Mailers identify and track their mail by placing a PLANET Code as an additional barcode on the mailing letter or flat. The encoded data is captured when the mailpiece passes through postal mail sorting equipment. This data is then transmitted to the mailer's computer system or to the CONFIRM interactive Web site.
The CONFIRM system provides a Destination Confirm service that tracks outgoing mailpieces such as solicitations, credit cards and statements, so that mailers will know when the mail is about to be delivered. Additionally, the CONFIRM system provides an Origin Confirm service that tracks incoming reply mail such as payments, orders and other responses. The mailer may use the advance notification that a reply is on the way in processing payments and managing cash more efficiently. Additionally, the mailers may evaluate the success of mailing campaigns in near real time.
Certain mailers use mailing machines and postage meters for processing mail. The DM SERIES™ of digital mailing machines, including the DM900™ digital mailing systems, are available from Pitney Bowes, Inc. of Stamford, Conn. and include IntelliLink™ Technology. The DM SERIES™ mailing machine enable customers to use preprinted 22-digit barcode labels having Package Identification Codes (PIC) to remotely, electronically request USPS Confirmation services such as Delivery Confirmation, Signature Confirmation and Certified Mail. The 22-digit PIC codes may then be used to track the mailpiece using the USPS website.
The USPS CONFIRM confirmation systems typically provide data scan sets only at acceptance and delivery. For example, only one scan data set is provided at delivery for outgoing mail and one scan data set at acceptance for incoming return mail. USPS EXPRESS MAIL services may provide more tracking data points to users.
Traditional Track and Trace solutions can help lower payment collection costs by reducing the need to send dunning notices or make unnecessary and potentially relationship damaging collection calls when the payment is already in route in the mail. In the traditional return payment tracking system, the user assumes that the customer has actually placed payment in the envelope that is being sent to the lockbox.
Some financial institutions provide large customers with the ability to track checks that they deposit as the checks proceed through the check clearing system. In that way, those customers may receive advance notice such as a refusal on first presentment of a check at a particular institution.
Such prior art payment mailing tracking systems do not provide the ability to track that a check is in the mail and they do not provide the additional ability to track those checks through the check clearing system.